The Third Word
by Idolworshipper
Summary: A quartet of vignettes, a look at Tank's softer side. Pure fluff and very possibly OOC. Please read and review. Thank you.


Disclaimer: I am not making any money from this, I promise.

My grateful thanks to JE for her wonderful characters, which I hope I haven't damaged too much.

**The Third Word**

**Tank's POV**

**Day one**

I've been on watch for 36 hours, but there's still one more duty I have to perform before I can finally get some rest.

I hate the smell of hospitals; the disinfectant can never quite hide the aroma of fear and hopelessness and the hint of despair.

She's in a private room, Carlos at her side, his back to the window, all of his attention focused on the very private drama taking place inside.

I nod to Bobby and Ram, standing at attention either side of the door, watchful sentries and faithful guardians to those within.

"Tank" she whispers as I enter, holding out a hand to me. Those exhausted blue eyes swimming with unshed tears. "Thank you for coming"

I move to her, taking that proffered hand and accepting the hug that she has for me, pressing my lips briefly to the top of her head. This woman is the core of us, she is the living, breathing heart of Rangeman and there isn't anything we wouldn't do for her. I take a seat and turn my attention to Carlos and his eyes are misted with tears. He stands, coming round the bed to me and he sits on the edge and he looks at me and then down and he whispers, his smile wider than his face.

"Ricki, meet your Uncle Tank"

Five words that was all it took to make me cry. I've been tortured and have never broken, but that short sentence shattered me into a thousand shards.

He holds out the blanket wrapped bundle and I take into my trembling, unworthy arms for the very first time, Ricardo Franklin Manoso, newborn son of our Batman and Wonder Woman. As I cradle this tiny new life, marvelling at his little fingers and the wisps of dark hair that crown his head, the first of my tears drop on to his blanket, the rest quickly following "Hey Ricki" I tell him my voice breaking "I'll always be here for you" I look up and find her eyes and then his "For all of you"

**Six months.**

Carlos has been called urgently to Miami and Steph's trying to hold down the fort. Problem is the newest Rangeman has been cutting teeth and he's not being quiet about it. The worst seems to be finally over, he's settled down, but it was a hell of a bad night. I could hear him down on the fourth floor.

She's exhausted; I sent her up to her seven to get her head down for an hour and that gives me time with Ricki. He sits in his baby bouncer on the desk next to me and I include him in all my decisions and he seems to enjoy helping me make them.

He starts to grumble, so it must be time to make the rounds. He's dressed as a Rangeman, in a black shirt, black pants, black socks and a pair of little black shoes. He would look the part completely if it weren't for the little white bib that reads, Daddy's Boy. I reach into his bag and take out the stack that Steph has packed and look through them until I find a more suitable one. Taking the old bib off I put on a black one embroidered in silver with the Rangeman logo and with a tickle for my little charge I strap him into his baby sling facing outwards, although this one had to be especially made for me, as the normal ones were way too small. With him safe and secure, we start the tour. This little man knows exactly where he's going and as soon as we are through the door he's babbling away in his own little language, his fingers pointing as he recognises the faces around him. His feet kick against my stomach and his giggles as he's tickled and feted by us all are heavenly. I realise how much our lives have changed for the better by having him and his Mother in them. They have taken our disparate threads and seamlessly woven us together. For most of us, this is our only chance to be Uncles; Rangeman is the only family we have, so we take our responsibilities very seriously. No other child in human history had this many bad assed babysitters.

**Ten Months.**

I get an urgent call from Steph and she sounds, well I guess I'd call it stunned. I've never heard her like that before and I high tailed it up to seven. She meets me, holding the little man and he reaches out to me. I take him and he puts his arms around my neck and kisses me noisily. "Hey Ricki" I greet him and then turn to Steph. "What's up?" I ask her.

"Who's that?" Steph asks him, her eyes intent.

My heart stops as he says "Tak"

"Yes sweetheart, that's Tank" she grins and her eyes fill up.

His first word was Dada and the second was Mama. He just said his third word, and it was my name. I cradle him to me and just revel in the smell and the feel of him. He leans into me, repeating my name again and again and I feel myself melt inside. Steph leans in too and I wrap an arm around her and hold this precious pair to me. "Thank you" I tell her.

"What for?" she asks her voice muffled against my chest.

"Letting me be a part of his life"

She reaches up, cupping my cheek with her hand. "Thank you for letting us be a part of yours"

**Four Years**

It's the first Saturday of the month which makes it a great day here at Rangeman.

The elevator doors open and out he comes. His black hair in a slicked back pony tail, plaited to hide the fact that it curls, his brown eyes intent. He pauses a moment, taking in everything that's going on and then his face breaks into a goofy little grin and he takes off running towards me and I hold open my arms to him. With a squeal he throws himself at me and I lift him and swing him round before pulling him in for a huge hug. "Morning Rangeman Ricki" I greet him as I kiss his cheek.

"Hola Tio Tank" he tells me as he kisses me back and I lower him to the floor.

Once down, we rearrange his shirt and make sure he looks every inch the Rangeman that he is. "Do you want to know your schedule for today?" I ask him.

He nods, his sweet little face serious. He looks so like his Daddy, but every so often I see a flash of his Mom, like now, when he adopts the parade rest position and he raises his chin and looks up at me with an almost exact replica of her determined expression.

"9 am you hit the gym with me" Well he plays on his bike and in the ball pit we put in for him.

"10 am the gun range with Ram" They use water pistols, Ram adds food colouring to the water and they shoot at the targets. He has his own locker, too. Ram keeps a box of spent casings, all carefully washed and checked for any sharp edges and he strews them on the floor so that Ricki gets his brush and dustpan out and clean up the brass.

"11 am you are on patrol with Lester, Vince and Binky" They take off to the park and just have some fun. It needs at least two of them to keep up with him.

"1 pm lunch" Here in the break room, we eat together and hang out. Ella bakes him cookies and we help him eat them.

"2 pm you have your shift in the control room" Well you sit at Daddy's desk running the place. Draw us pictures and spend some time with the guys on duty.

"3 pm report time" Well a quiet time with a glass of milk and a story. Our time together, sometimes we even have a little nap.

"4 pm first aid with Bobby" The two of you try to mummify one another with all those bandages.

"5 pm I hand you back over to your Dad"

I hand him a laminated card with his schedule on it and he takes it. He nods "Thank you Sir" he tells me earnestly. Then his face splits with that cute grin and I hold out my hand to him and he takes it. I have to bend down to keep his hand in mine, but what the hell, I don't care how stupid I look, it's worth it.

He's the son of Wonder Woman and Batman and having his love and trust makes me feel like a superhero too.

Author's Note

Heaven only knows where this piece of fluff came from, but it's been buzzing around in my head for the past few days.

I am working on something a little more serious, but its slow going even by my standards.

Love it? Hate it? Please let me know.

Valzie.


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